Usual rules apply: synopses are taken from the press releases and Amazon descriptions; snarky commentary is extra; and preview links go to YouTube’s preview pages. And just in case you were wondering, the DVD prices are the listed retail prices. You can get them cheaper if you buy at discount stores or online.

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas: The detective’s hopes for a quiet holiday are dashed when he must investigate a murder at a wealthy man’s country estate.

Hickory Dickory Dock: After making several errors at work, Miss Lemon confesses that she’s worried sick about a series of thefts at the hostel her sister runs. Damian Lewis co-stars.

Murder on the Links: Poirot’s reputation precedes him during a vacation in France, leading to his involvement in a case of abduction and murder.

Dumb Witness: When the premonitions of two sisters come to gruesome life, Poirot and Hastings solve a murder by communicating with a silent witness.Kate Buffery co-stars.

No extras listed.

The Amazing World of Gumball
Cartoon Network, 132 minutes, not rated, 12 episodes,$14.97
Gumball’s world is pretty run-of-the-mill. He’s chased around school by a T-Rex. He has a friend named Anton who’s a piece of toast. He’s got a crush on Penny, a peanut with antlers. His dad is a 6’4 bunny. His mom works at a Rainbow Factory. And his brother is a goldfish named Darwin. Yup, everything looks perfectly normal here. Includes a character gallery. I can’t figure this one out from the description, so I’m just running their text here. But it looks like an anime cartoon cross-hatched with a Bugs Bunny short.

Battleground
Well Go USA, 85 minutes, not rated
DVD: $19.98
BD/DVD: $24.98
Six bank robbers lose their getaway vehicle while on the run. Now they’re stranded in an off-the-grid forest guarded by a mentally deranged Vietnam veteran (Hugh Lambe) who kills anyone who enters his forest. Also stars Bryan Larkin, Bob Cymbalski, Mark Munro, Damon White, Robert Nolan and Frank Ieraci. Not to be confused with “Battleship,” just below. No extras listed.

Battleship
Universal, 131 minutes, PG-13
DVD: $29.98
BD/DVD with digital copy: $34.98
An alien force puts up an shield over the Hawaiian Islands, locking them down. The only thing standing in their way is a big bad battleship. Stars Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, Alexander Skarsgard and Brooklyn Decker. Ok. I thought “Transformers” was a stretch. But “Battleship?” Supposedly, someone does say “D7″ but no one exclaims “You sunk my Battleship!” With a 34% on RottenTomatoes, I’d have to recommend you wait until it comes on HBO. Or TNT. No extras listed. BD adds Ultraviolet digital copy.

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Second Season
HBO Studios, 720 minutes, not rated, 5 discs
DVD: $59.99
BD/DVD with digital copy: $79.98
Though the 1920 election is over, Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) finds himself the target of a federal investigation for vote tampering with the Atlantic City elections – and an insurrection by those he counted among his closest allies. The digital copy is redeemable via your choice of providers: iTunes, Vudu or Amazon, and includes UltraViolet. Extras: behind-the scenes featurette, episode commentary

Darling Companion
Sony, 104 minutes, PG-13
DVD price with digital copy: $30.99
BD/DVD with digital copy: $35.99
Beth (Diane Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal. When Joseph loses the dog after their daughter’s (Elisabeth Moss) wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, Beth, distraught and angry with Joseph, enlists the help of the few remaining guests (Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins, Mark Duplass) and a mysterious woman (Ayelet Zurer) in a frantic search. Co-written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Extras: commentary, featurettes.

Green Lantern: Animated Series – Season One Part 1
Warner Bros., 286 minutes, not rated, 13 episodes, 2 discs, $19.97
As Earth’s Green Lantern, Hal Jordan is on the Guardian Frontier, where he must face down an invasion from the Red Lantern Corps. Powered by pure rage, the evil Red Lanterns have sworn to destroy the Green Lantern Corps and everything they stand for. Dispatched with his friend and former drill sergeant- the gruff, hulking alien Kilowog – on the experimental spacecraft The Interceptor, Hal joins up with a group of others to fight the Red Lanterns and save the Green Lantern Corps and Earth. Extras: viewer’s guide.

Homeland: The Complete First Season
Showtime, 720 minutes, not rated, 12 episodes, 4 discs
DVD: $59.98
BD: $69.98
Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), CIA agent, suspects that a rescued American POW may not be what he seems. Is Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) a war hero…or an Al Qaeda sleeper agent plotting a spectacular terrorist attack on U.S. soil? Following her instincts, Mathison will risk everything to uncover the truth – her reputation, her career and even her sanity. No extras listed.

I Heart Shakey
Phase 4 Films, 102 minutes, PG
DVD: $29.99
Single father J.T. (Steve Lemme) and his 12-year-old daughter Chandler (Rylie Behr) move from their small town to Chicago with their lovable family mutt Shakey. But their new home doesn’t allow pets, so J.T. starts searching for a new home for Shakey. Chandler hatches a plan to keep him. Also stars Steve Guttenberg and Beverly D’Angelo. Family fun is supposed to ensue. Extras: featurettes, outtakes.

Injustice
Acorn Media, 223 minutes, not rated, 5 episodes, 2 discs
DVD: $39.99
James Purefoy plays defense barrister William Travers, who fled London murder trials to the peace of the Suffolk countryside with his family. He is called upon to defend an old friend in a homicide that may be much more than it seems, even as death strikes close to home and he becomes a target of investigation himself. Also stars Dervla Kirwan, Charlie Creed-Miles, and Nathaniel Parker. Extras: photo gallery.

Jersey Shore: Season Five (Uncensored)
MTV, 462 minutes, not rated, 11 episodes, 3 discs, $26.99
The cast has left Italy and returned to Seaside Heights, anxious to get their GTL on. (Whatever that is – I don’t watch the show.) From working at the T-shirt shop to trips to Karma, it’s summer and they are happy to be back home. Extras: cast interviews, deleted scenes, featurettes.

Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe
Image Entertainment, 73 minutes, not rated, $14.98
Shot live in Washington, D.C., this performance features Gaffigan giving his unique Postmodern comedic take on such diverse topics as family holidays, fast food, health clubs, Disney World and even those pesky monsters of the sea. No extras listed.

The Jungle Bunch: The Movie
Universal, 58 minutes, not rated, $14.98
Maurice (voice of John Lithgow) is a penguin who was raised in the jungle thinking that he’s a tiger! When two penguins from his Antarctic homeland come in search of “The Great Tiger Warrior” to defend their colony from an invading herd of walruses, Maurice assembles a team of jungle misfits to save the day! Extras: animated short.

Life Happens
Universal, 101 minutes, R
DVD: $19.98
BD: $26.98
When a one-night-stand results in an unexpected pregnancy, things take a sudden turn for Kim (Krysten Ritter) and her roommates, Deena (Kate Bosworth) and Laura (Rachel Bilson). Upon returning to the dating scene, Kim learns to cope with single motherhood amid fears that a baby will hurt her chances of getting dates. Sounds like a twist on the “Three Men and a Baby” formula (pun sort of intended). No extras listed.

Lovely Molly
Image Entertainment, 99 minutes, R
DVD: $27.97
BD: $29.97
Molly (Gretchen Lodge) moves into her late father’s empty country house with her new husband. Haunted by dark demons, she is soon left alone to confront a lurking presence inside the house – one that could drive her beyond the edge of pure fear. No extras listed.

The Lucky One
Warner Bros., 100 minutes, PG-13
DVD price with digital copy: $28.98
BD/DVD with digital copy: $35.99
Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with a photograph he found of a woman whom he doesn’t know. In the belief that the photo kept him alive, he determines that her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and where she lives. He shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm. Based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks. Are you sure this isn’t a stalker flick? Extras: featurette, Ultraviolet digital copy. BD adds: featurettes

Monsieur Lazhar
Music Box Films, 94 minutes, PG-13
DVD: $29.98
BD: $38.94
Bachir Lazhar (Fellag), an Algerian immigrant to Montreal, takes over an elementary school class that has been shaken by the suicide of their former teacher. Despite recovering from a personal tragedy of his own, Lazhar gets to know his students despite the wide culture gap and the constraints of the school system. However, no one knows about his past, or the fact that he might be deported at any moment. Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. In French with English subtitles. Extras: cast interviews, featurettes

Nickelodeon Double Feature: Big Time Movie/Rags
Nickelodeon, 156 minutes, not rated, $14.98
In “Big Time Movie,” the band members of Big Time Rush (Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan) head to London for their first big world tour, but their luggage gets mixed up at the airport, putting them in possession of a fearsome device that could destroy the world. “Rags” is the “Cinderella” story told as if Cinderella were a guy instead of a girl, all set as a musical. No extras listed.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete First Season
ABC, 946 minutes, PG, 22 episodes, 5 discs
DVD: $45.99
BD: $79.99
In the sleepy little town of Storybrooke , every fairytale character created is frozen in time by the evil curse of the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla), caught between our world and theirs. On her 28th birthday, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) meets her son Henry (Jared Gilmore), whom she gave up for adoption 10 years earlier. Henry is convinced that she is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), who is prophesied to lift the curse. Intriguing premise. May have to watch it. Extras: deleted scenes, episode commentary, featurettes. BD adds: interactive guide.

The Pirates!: Band of Misfits
Sony, 88 minutes, PG, 3 discs
DVD price with digital copy: $30.99
BD with digital copy: $40.99
3DBD/BD/DVD with digital copy: $45.99
When the infamous Pirate Captain (voice of Hugh Grant) is shunned once again by his rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Liz Cutlass (Salma Hayek), he sets his sights to win the coveted Pirate of the Year Award! With his trusted “parrot” Polly and rag-tag crew at his side, Pirate Captain will need to battle a diabolical queen, save a young scientist and search for adventure. Also stars David Tennant, Imelda Staunton and Martin Freeman. Brought to you by the same folks that make “Wallace and Gromit” and “Chicken Run.” Extras: animated short, commentary, interactive game. BD adds: animated short, featurette, interactive game. 3DBD adds: lenticular cover.

School of Rock
Paramount, 109 minutes, PG-13, BD debut, $19.99
After his band fires him, Dewey Finn (Jack Black) takes a job as a 4th grade substitute teacher at a prestigious school. Not knowing much about teaching, he decides to tap into the musical knowledge of his young proteges and create a band. Extras: commentary, featurettes, music video

Starship Troopers: Invasion
Sony, 89 minutes, R
DVD: $26.99
BD: $30.99
CGI-film based on the film series has far-out Federation outpost Fort Casey coming under attack by bugs. The fast attack ship Alesia and the Starship John A. Warden are tasked to evacuate the survivors and bring military intelligence safely back to Earth. However, Carl Jenkins, now ministry of Paranormal Warfare, takes the starship on a clandestine mission before its rendezvous with the Alesia and goes missing in the nebula. Now, the battle-hardened troopers aboard the Alesia are charged with a rescue mission that has sinister overtones. Series star Casper van Diem co-executive-produces. Extras: commentary, deleted scenes, documentary.

Streets of San Francisco: The Complete Fourth Season
Paramount, 1,159 minutes, not rated
DVD: $69.98
In this classic 1970s series, twenty year police veteran Detective Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) is partnered with young, college educated Inspector Steve Keller (Michael Douglas) who has a lot to learn about being a detective. No extras listed.

Think Like a Man
Screen Gems, 122 minutes, PG-13
DVD: $30.99
BD with digital copy: $35.99
Steve Harvey has written a book on relationships: “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.” Four ladies begin reading the book and start using the advice on their men. The men discover this and hatch a plan to turn the tables on their women. Extras: deleted scenes, featurettes, gag reel.

Two and a Half Men: The Complete Ninth Season
Warner Bros., 528 minutes, not rated, 24 episodes, 3 discs, $44.98
Ninth season of comedy series has the character played by Charlie Sheen (who lost his part due to personal problems we don’t need to cover here) having dropped dead, so Alan (Jon Cryer) and his son Jake (Angus T. Jones) have inherited his beach pad. They have a cash flow, so they decide to sell it to Internet king Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher). Extras: behind-the scenes featurette, gag reel.

Viral Factor
Well Go USA, 122 minutes, not rated
DVD: $24.98
BD: $29.98
International Security Affairs agent Jon (Jay Chou) is escorting a criminal scientist to another country. En route, a member of his team turns out to be a traitor and shoots Jon in the head while kidnapping the scientist. When Jon wakes up in the hospital, a doctor tells him that within weeks, the bullet in his brain will cause complete paralysis. Jon returns to Beijing to see his mother, who tells him that he has a brother in Malaysia, Yeung (Nicholas Tse). Jon decides to fly there and find him. On the plane he forms a bond with Dr. Kan (Lin Pang), who might have a treatment for his condition. However, when they arrive, Yeung kidnaps them both. Jon and Yeung soon realize they’re brothers, and decide to work together in order to keep the criminals behind the kidnappings from infecting the world with a disease long thought cured. In Chinese with English subtitles and an English dub. Extras: cast interviews, making-of-featurette.

The Walking Dead: The Complete Second Season
AMC and Anchor Bay Entertainment, 578 minutes, not rated, 13 episodes, 4 discs
DVD: $59.98
BD: $69.99
Second season of the zombie apocalypse series, with police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and a small group of others struggling to stay alive as ‘the dead’ stalk them at every turn. Based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman. Also stars Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wyne Callies, Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey DeMunn, Loren Cohan and Pruittt Taylor Vince. Also comes in a Limited Edition BD for $99.99 with a zombie head designed by McFarlane Toys. Extras: behind-the scenes featurette, episode commentary, featurettes

You’ve Got a Friend
Gaiam/Vivendi Entertainment, 85 minutes, not rated, $14.93
After his parents die in an accident, Bobby Graham (Dylan McLaughlin) is sent to Eagle Rock to live with his aunt. He plans to honor his father by entering the American Soapbox Derby, enlisting the town war veteran and recluse, Jim Klecan (John Schneider). Along the way, Bobby has to deal with rivals, but his friendship with Jim helps Jim come out of his shell. No extras listed.